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The Chronos Files #3
Time's Divide
The Cyrists are swiftly moving into position to begin the Culling, and Kate’s options are dwindling. With each jump to the past or the future, Kate may trigger a new timeline shift. Worse, the loyalties of those around her—including the allegiances of Kiernan and the Fifth Column, the shadowy group working with Kate—are increasingly unclear.
Kate will risk everything, including her life, to prevent the future her grandfather and the Cyrists have planned. But, when time runs out, it may take an even bigger sacrifice to protect the people she loves.
Kate will risk everything, including her life, to prevent the future her grandfather and the Cyrists have planned. But, when time runs out, it may take an even bigger sacrifice to protect the people she loves.
535 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2015
653 people are currently reading
3043 people want to read
About the author
Rysa Walker
74 books1,521 followersRYSA WALKER is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. The CHRONOS Files has sold nearly half a million copies since 2013 and has been translated into fourteen languages.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.
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November 29, 2024
Re-Read, 11/28/24
I haven't reread this book since the first time in 09/2015, when it was released originally. I think knowing that initially I felt conflicted about the ending of the series and the events of this book on the whole left me open to be less critical. It's also been almost 10 years since that first read and I am definitely a different person, who views story/conflict resolution differently. I do still stand by the fact that it's not the ending I initially expected but I think it's the one that the series needed. I'm bumping my original rating up one whole star and I'm planning on reading the novella and short stories I never got around to last time. Overall, still an all-time favorite series and I highly recommend if you love time travel stories.
Full Review - ORIGINAL (09/2015)
So, I stayed up last night reading this from beginning to end! I couldn't put it down, I had to know what was going to happen...how the Hell was it all going to end???!!! Well, now I know how it ends. And I'm left feeling unsure if I like it or not, to be honest. I've been thinking about this all day, but I'm still not sure. It picked up right where the second book left off, with Kate returning from 1938 Georgia and receiving a note from the "Fifth Column," a faction of Cyrists within the church (founded by stranded CHRONOS historians Abel and Delia) that are working to stop Saul and his inner circle from poisoning the world & killing billions! Of course Kate is suspicious of whether or not to trust Julia, the daughter of Delia & Abel, who is the leader of the group. Also, she's been told not to trust Kiernan, after all he's done to help her bring down Saul. And even though his behavior's been a bit suspicious/weird Kate's pretty sure she can still trust him. After all, he loved his Kate at one point, so he wouldn't do anything to hurt her...would he? A trip to London to see Kate's Mom leads to some troubling interactions and shaky alliances with an older, crazier Prudence. Kate must get the keys before Saul and Prudence ever did, if she's going to stop the genocide they're planning. But to do so, she has to get Prudence's key back so she can travel into the future, a place that has been affected by the timeshifts in horrifying ways. Can Tate help Kate and Kiernan set things right, and will they all make it out alive in the end?
Honestly I have mixed feelings about the ending of this book. I don't know if I'm too sentimental, but in a different way than most people or not sentimental enough. But I was kind of pissed off that instead of This eliminated a couple people from getting the endings they deserved, with a couple of stupid cop-outs (in my opinion), like Also, Prudence and Tate still had to live with the truth of their offspring and the bad things their genetics had a major part in perpetuating. If Kate had erased the Cyrists, then it would have brought things full circle. I wanted her to It would have been the truly selfless thing to do, even if it did jeopardize Kate's own existence. Plus, if they can tell themselves that blinking out means you're in your own timeline/universe as a justification for , than why can't she take the risk? I did like that both Kiernan and Trey got their happy endings with Kate, yet to me the whole situation was just so selfish. I've spent the entire day debating the morality of what they did to fix (or not fix) the timeline. The whole thing with Saul and Simon near the end left me feeling cheated as well, because I got the showdown with the Big Bad - just not in the way I was expecting (not in any sense of the word). Overall, to avoid any more potential spoilers, I have to say that it's definitely worth reading. Many people will love this book and the way it ended, but it wasn't the ending I wanted or expected for this series and these characters. We don't always get what we want in life though and this was a kick-ass book that I'll be thinking of for quite some time yet.
P.S. This is how I picture Pru:
**Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!**
UPDATE (09/10)
OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! I have been stalking NetGalley, waiting to see if it would become available. Guess who just got lucky? And I have Skyscape auto-approval...and I repeat, OH. MY. GOD!!!
Oh, and for those of you interested in this series, ALL THREE books are currently available for request on NetGalley. I'd highly recommend them! Now excuse me while I go read the novellas so I can get to this one and see how it all ends.
Original "Review"
A COVER.
A SYNOPSIS.
A RELEASE DATE!!!
I haven't reread this book since the first time in 09/2015, when it was released originally. I think knowing that initially I felt conflicted about the ending of the series and the events of this book on the whole left me open to be less critical. It's also been almost 10 years since that first read and I am definitely a different person, who views story/conflict resolution differently. I do still stand by the fact that it's not the ending I initially expected but I think it's the one that the series needed. I'm bumping my original rating up one whole star and I'm planning on reading the novella and short stories I never got around to last time. Overall, still an all-time favorite series and I highly recommend if you love time travel stories.
Full Review - ORIGINAL (09/2015)
So, I stayed up last night reading this from beginning to end! I couldn't put it down, I had to know what was going to happen...how the Hell was it all going to end???!!! Well, now I know how it ends. And I'm left feeling unsure if I like it or not, to be honest. I've been thinking about this all day, but I'm still not sure. It picked up right where the second book left off, with Kate returning from 1938 Georgia and receiving a note from the "Fifth Column," a faction of Cyrists within the church (founded by stranded CHRONOS historians Abel and Delia) that are working to stop Saul and his inner circle from poisoning the world & killing billions! Of course Kate is suspicious of whether or not to trust Julia, the daughter of Delia & Abel, who is the leader of the group. Also, she's been told not to trust Kiernan, after all he's done to help her bring down Saul. And even though his behavior's been a bit suspicious/weird Kate's pretty sure she can still trust him. After all, he loved his Kate at one point, so he wouldn't do anything to hurt her...would he? A trip to London to see Kate's Mom leads to some troubling interactions and shaky alliances with an older, crazier Prudence. Kate must get the keys before Saul and Prudence ever did, if she's going to stop the genocide they're planning. But to do so, she has to get Prudence's key back so she can travel into the future, a place that has been affected by the timeshifts in horrifying ways. Can Tate help Kate and Kiernan set things right, and will they all make it out alive in the end?
Honestly I have mixed feelings about the ending of this book. I don't know if I'm too sentimental, but in a different way than most people or not sentimental enough. But I was kind of pissed off that instead of This eliminated a couple people from getting the endings they deserved, with a couple of stupid cop-outs (in my opinion), like Also, Prudence and Tate still had to live with the truth of their offspring and the bad things their genetics had a major part in perpetuating. If Kate had erased the Cyrists, then it would have brought things full circle. I wanted her to It would have been the truly selfless thing to do, even if it did jeopardize Kate's own existence. Plus, if they can tell themselves that blinking out means you're in your own timeline/universe as a justification for , than why can't she take the risk? I did like that both Kiernan and Trey got their happy endings with Kate, yet to me the whole situation was just so selfish. I've spent the entire day debating the morality of what they did to fix (or not fix) the timeline. The whole thing with Saul and Simon near the end left me feeling cheated as well, because I got the showdown with the Big Bad - just not in the way I was expecting (not in any sense of the word). Overall, to avoid any more potential spoilers, I have to say that it's definitely worth reading. Many people will love this book and the way it ended, but it wasn't the ending I wanted or expected for this series and these characters. We don't always get what we want in life though and this was a kick-ass book that I'll be thinking of for quite some time yet.
P.S. This is how I picture Pru:
**Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!**
UPDATE (09/10)
OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! I have been stalking NetGalley, waiting to see if it would become available. Guess who just got lucky? And I have Skyscape auto-approval...and I repeat, OH. MY. GOD!!!
Oh, and for those of you interested in this series, ALL THREE books are currently available for request on NetGalley. I'd highly recommend them! Now excuse me while I go read the novellas so I can get to this one and see how it all ends.
Original "Review"
A COVER.
A SYNOPSIS.
A RELEASE DATE!!!
September 11, 2015
I have read all the books in this series, and there were still times while I was reading the book that I wondered where in time and place the story took place, and how things had shifted so drastically.
Physically, there are 4 major time shifts, and we learn much more about what causes a time stream. There's string theory and then there's the ultimate every decision creates a new parallel universe, and in this universe, the author has married the two. It created major issues deciding what was from "this" time stream (when it's shifted so far from what it started as in book 1), from "Other-Kate's" time stream (where we were in the novella 1.5), and from where we end up. It is also critical to the reads that the reader not just read the 3 main novels. The novellas matter to the current story, especially explaining the current Pru.
I did enjoy this story, and while I enjoy Current-Kate and Trey, my heart will always belong to Kiernan Dunne. I am very much Team Kiernan.
I must confess that halfway through the book I had no idea how she could possibly tie up all the loose ends. I also disliked every member of the 5th Column, especially Julia and Max, and even Charlayne and Bensen. I did still like Tilson. He's remained a very stable, likable character for me. The rest of the characters seriously twist and turn. I suppose it is part of the suspense and drama to never know beyond Trey and Kiernan (and sometimes not then!) who to trust, but I got emotionally tired of wondering who to trust. There were two loose ends that really should have been tied up, that I wondered about all night after I finished reading.
It turns out that the bad guys really are simply psychopaths, and that everyone else is much more complicated. That's not a spoiler. We do finally get to see 2308, but not as it should have been, but as it becomes after multiple time shifts. However, we do get a Terminator/Skynet ending. I suppose as long as time stays fixed as Kate is finished, that shouldn't be a problem, right?
While I would recommend this book to my students, the author is not kidding when she describes her book in Doctor Who "Timey-Wimey" terms. I was not certain I loved where we were at the end. Sometimes, I thought the story was just too convoluted, and I really, really loved the other books in the series. For me, the major twists (and there were many in this book) were too many. One would have been enough. There were just so many. I also think this book could have been 1/3 shorter and it would have been a great finish.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher for an honest review.
Physically, there are 4 major time shifts, and we learn much more about what causes a time stream. There's string theory and then there's the ultimate every decision creates a new parallel universe, and in this universe, the author has married the two. It created major issues deciding what was from "this" time stream (when it's shifted so far from what it started as in book 1), from "Other-Kate's" time stream (where we were in the novella 1.5), and from where we end up. It is also critical to the reads that the reader not just read the 3 main novels. The novellas matter to the current story, especially explaining the current Pru.
I did enjoy this story, and while I enjoy Current-Kate and Trey, my heart will always belong to Kiernan Dunne. I am very much Team Kiernan.
I must confess that halfway through the book I had no idea how she could possibly tie up all the loose ends. I also disliked every member of the 5th Column, especially Julia and Max, and even Charlayne and Bensen. I did still like Tilson. He's remained a very stable, likable character for me. The rest of the characters seriously twist and turn. I suppose it is part of the suspense and drama to never know beyond Trey and Kiernan (and sometimes not then!) who to trust, but I got emotionally tired of wondering who to trust. There were two loose ends that really should have been tied up, that I wondered about all night after I finished reading.
It turns out that the bad guys really are simply psychopaths, and that everyone else is much more complicated. That's not a spoiler. We do finally get to see 2308, but not as it should have been, but as it becomes after multiple time shifts. However, we do get a Terminator/Skynet ending. I suppose as long as time stays fixed as Kate is finished, that shouldn't be a problem, right?
While I would recommend this book to my students, the author is not kidding when she describes her book in Doctor Who "Timey-Wimey" terms. I was not certain I loved where we were at the end. Sometimes, I thought the story was just too convoluted, and I really, really loved the other books in the series. For me, the major twists (and there were many in this book) were too many. One would have been enough. There were just so many. I also think this book could have been 1/3 shorter and it would have been a great finish.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher for an honest review.
December 2, 2015
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The Chronos Files’ is Walker’s time travel series. Historians from the future, trained by Chronos, to go back in time to observe. One person, however, deviates from plan causing a handfull of them to get stuck in their last assignment. The Revisionist changes key events, creates a religion, and starts a movement causing the entire timeline to shift. No one can return to Chronos or their time. Kate’s Grandmother, an eccentric woman she knows little about except her mother hates her, requested she live with her for the summer. She’s not inclined to, but her college will be paid for if she agrees. It has a classic leaning, except canon wouldn’t accept a grandmother who technically isn’t born yet. Kate’s grandmother needs her to fix the past so she can be born. What I’ve described is the basis of Walker’s trilogy. The Young Adult time travel series is solid, and complex, enough most people should enjoy it. There is a love triangle, more or less – it depends on what timeline your in – but it’s handled well. Walker uses detailed/discriminating theory for her basis of time travel and sticks with it. People who get frustrated at lengthy scientific explanations shouldn’t be overwhelmed. Those who need the philosophy to hold up to basic scrutiny will be content. Walker struck a delicate balance. Book three, ‘Time’s Divide,’ has twists. In it she ends her trilogy with Kate being forced to travel to the future despite fears and warnings.
The Cyrists, a religion, has infiltrated governments, law enforcement, and society. It was created by Brother Saul with help from Sister Prudence. Saul’s roots are several centuries in the future. He claims to want to fix the mistakes of the past for a better future, but his motivations are questionable. The only thing truly evident is he will use any method, or person, to achieve his ends. He destroyed the future Kate’s grandmother knew. Kate is trying to fix it with the limited tools, Chronos Keys and Diaries, her grandmother brought with her on assignment. Keys combined with specific genetics allow a person to travel in time. The combination is rare. Kate is her grandmothers last hope at tracking down the remaining unaccounted for Keys. She is tasked to keep them out of Cyrist hands, and fix the timeline. Every step forward shifts reality. Shifts cause confusion, physical pain, and losses. The last two books dealt with specific events in history, the Chicago World’s Fair, when JFK was shot, etc. Ultimately, in ‘Time’s Divide’ Kate has to infiltrate the Cyrists and travel into the future. The problem with this is it is an unknown. Saul’s actions may have destroyed it leaving a void. She has nothing to research and nothing she can rely on.
Kate Rudd narrated the audio version I listened to, and she does will with it. She is consistent in her character interpretation and differentiation. I prefer to listen to this series rather than read it, but you should like it either way.
I enjoyed The Chronos Files trilogy and Kate’s travels to the past. Walker wrapped up the story well. She did leave herself an opening to continue but this is supposed to be the last book. We’ll see. Since I have more fascination with history than the future this was not my favorite of the series, but it was good. Walker delivered on her large cliffhanger from the second book. I think she could have done more with it, but she had an awful lot to complete in this book. If you are looking for a quick read, small history lessons, well executed concepts of time travel, and action I recommend the series for you.
The Chronos Files’ is Walker’s time travel series. Historians from the future, trained by Chronos, to go back in time to observe. One person, however, deviates from plan causing a handfull of them to get stuck in their last assignment. The Revisionist changes key events, creates a religion, and starts a movement causing the entire timeline to shift. No one can return to Chronos or their time. Kate’s Grandmother, an eccentric woman she knows little about except her mother hates her, requested she live with her for the summer. She’s not inclined to, but her college will be paid for if she agrees. It has a classic leaning, except canon wouldn’t accept a grandmother who technically isn’t born yet. Kate’s grandmother needs her to fix the past so she can be born. What I’ve described is the basis of Walker’s trilogy. The Young Adult time travel series is solid, and complex, enough most people should enjoy it. There is a love triangle, more or less – it depends on what timeline your in – but it’s handled well. Walker uses detailed/discriminating theory for her basis of time travel and sticks with it. People who get frustrated at lengthy scientific explanations shouldn’t be overwhelmed. Those who need the philosophy to hold up to basic scrutiny will be content. Walker struck a delicate balance. Book three, ‘Time’s Divide,’ has twists. In it she ends her trilogy with Kate being forced to travel to the future despite fears and warnings.
The Cyrists, a religion, has infiltrated governments, law enforcement, and society. It was created by Brother Saul with help from Sister Prudence. Saul’s roots are several centuries in the future. He claims to want to fix the mistakes of the past for a better future, but his motivations are questionable. The only thing truly evident is he will use any method, or person, to achieve his ends. He destroyed the future Kate’s grandmother knew. Kate is trying to fix it with the limited tools, Chronos Keys and Diaries, her grandmother brought with her on assignment. Keys combined with specific genetics allow a person to travel in time. The combination is rare. Kate is her grandmothers last hope at tracking down the remaining unaccounted for Keys. She is tasked to keep them out of Cyrist hands, and fix the timeline. Every step forward shifts reality. Shifts cause confusion, physical pain, and losses. The last two books dealt with specific events in history, the Chicago World’s Fair, when JFK was shot, etc. Ultimately, in ‘Time’s Divide’ Kate has to infiltrate the Cyrists and travel into the future. The problem with this is it is an unknown. Saul’s actions may have destroyed it leaving a void. She has nothing to research and nothing she can rely on.
Kate Rudd narrated the audio version I listened to, and she does will with it. She is consistent in her character interpretation and differentiation. I prefer to listen to this series rather than read it, but you should like it either way.
I enjoyed The Chronos Files trilogy and Kate’s travels to the past. Walker wrapped up the story well. She did leave herself an opening to continue but this is supposed to be the last book. We’ll see. Since I have more fascination with history than the future this was not my favorite of the series, but it was good. Walker delivered on her large cliffhanger from the second book. I think she could have done more with it, but she had an awful lot to complete in this book. If you are looking for a quick read, small history lessons, well executed concepts of time travel, and action I recommend the series for you.
May 5, 2018
This book was so confusing. I feel like my brain is half melted right now.
Time's Divide is the third installment of The Chronos Files series. In this one, Kate has to travel into the future. There are a bunch of people on her team now - Kiernan, Trey, Connor, Kate's family, and some members of the 5th column. Crazy hard to keep track of everything but I think I got it all. They are tracking down all of the Chrono's keys to prevent the Cyrist culling.
So the two different Kate's was still weird to me but after reading the book I sort of got on board. Finally! Took me forever, but I realized that both of the love interests get their own Kate. In a weird but non creepy way - right?! In the end, both guys were basically meh to me but I'm glad they sort of got their happy ending?
Besides the romance and time travelling stuff, the twists and turns thrown at me were so good. Dizzying adventure that kind of made my head hurt a whole bunch but I think I got the overall idea of it all? Maybe.
Then there's the 5th column. I hated everyone from that group. So when they were magically disappearing I was definitely okay with that. Bye bye bitches! Seriously, they were all terrible people. Julia and Max were definitely the first two I hated from this bunch. However, I did sort of like Tilson but since he was a member for the whole shebang he falls under the hate column just for that reasoning alone.
Now for the end of the book, that epilogue or cliffhanger was just so god damn confusing. Again, I did mention that this book was confusing right?!? So many time zones to keep track of while reading and then I get that kind of ending?!?? I have no how I feel about that right now.
Time's Divide is the third installment of The Chronos Files series. In this one, Kate has to travel into the future. There are a bunch of people on her team now - Kiernan, Trey, Connor, Kate's family, and some members of the 5th column. Crazy hard to keep track of everything but I think I got it all. They are tracking down all of the Chrono's keys to prevent the Cyrist culling.
So the two different Kate's was still weird to me but after reading the book I sort of got on board. Finally! Took me forever, but I realized that both of the love interests get their own Kate. In a weird but non creepy way - right?! In the end, both guys were basically meh to me but I'm glad they sort of got their happy ending?
Besides the romance and time travelling stuff, the twists and turns thrown at me were so good. Dizzying adventure that kind of made my head hurt a whole bunch but I think I got the overall idea of it all? Maybe.
Then there's the 5th column. I hated everyone from that group. So when they were magically disappearing I was definitely okay with that. Bye bye bitches! Seriously, they were all terrible people. Julia and Max were definitely the first two I hated from this bunch. However, I did sort of like Tilson but since he was a member for the whole shebang he falls under the hate column just for that reasoning alone.
Now for the end of the book, that epilogue or cliffhanger was just so god damn confusing. Again, I did mention that this book was confusing right?!? So many time zones to keep track of while reading and then I get that kind of ending?!?? I have no how I feel about that right now.
May 2, 2016
I feel this book was a bit of a disappointment. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't pin it as 'bad' but I think there was a lot of lost potential. The timelines were off the chart complicated. I mean, I love time travel... I watch Doctor Who and I've read other time-traveling novels that are guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows with their explanations, but this book is just too damn complicated. Even the characters confuse themselves when they're trying to sum things up. Not even a 'Timey-Wimey-Wibbly-Wobbely' can sort out the mess in the book's (or the series' plot). Not even Fringe (the series... Which is awesome) with its red, blue and yellow timelines are this complicated. That's just part of the problem. The other issue is that I didn't get a feeling that things were SOLVED in the end. There are so many loose ends that I would love to write a fanfic that addresses those problems. In the end, it's entertaining and it gets the reader hooked because you just want to know how it all ends, but I won't deny that it's barely gratifying.
August 24, 2020
This book wasn't bad but I felt like it was to long and drag out by half way through the last book in the end I just wanted to be finished and have an ending.
October 31, 2015
I have been completely obsessed with all things Chronos Files ever since I first read Timebound right after Skyscape released it. I have devoured each novella and book as soon as I could and have lost many hours of sleep staying up until the wee hours with the old "just one more chapter" scenario.
Time's Divide starts off exactly where Time's Edge ends with a surprise visit from a 5th Column member in an altered timeline, thanks to Kate's tireless efforts to save Julia Morelle Waters' parents in the past.
The book started off with a bang and never slowed down to let me catch my breath. Kate is probably one of my favorite heroines as she goes all in, no questions asked, to do everything possible to save the world from Saul's Culling.
As for being Team Kiernan, I have to say I was extremely satisfied with who Kate chose in the end! In fact, although a little saddened by a couple of the events, I am happy overall with this amazing conclusion of the series.
Walker is a timey wimey genius with the twists and crazy antics of time travel, and although my head spun more than a few times, I still managed to keep up. Genius!!
I highly recommend that everyone read both novellas (Time's Echo and Time's Mirror), which are POVs of Kiernan and Prudence, as there is so much insight into those characters which makes Time's Divide an even better experience.
I am experiencing major series hangover now and know that I'll be binge rereading the entire series within a few months. I know that Walker is planning at least one more Chronos Files story and with many authors venturing into her Kindle Worlds to write more Chronos Files stories, I hope to keep my addiction going for a long time!
I can't wait to see what Rysa Walker comes up with next!
Time's Divide starts off exactly where Time's Edge ends with a surprise visit from a 5th Column member in an altered timeline, thanks to Kate's tireless efforts to save Julia Morelle Waters' parents in the past.
The book started off with a bang and never slowed down to let me catch my breath. Kate is probably one of my favorite heroines as she goes all in, no questions asked, to do everything possible to save the world from Saul's Culling.
As for being Team Kiernan, I have to say I was extremely satisfied with who Kate chose in the end! In fact, although a little saddened by a couple of the events, I am happy overall with this amazing conclusion of the series.
Walker is a timey wimey genius with the twists and crazy antics of time travel, and although my head spun more than a few times, I still managed to keep up. Genius!!
I highly recommend that everyone read both novellas (Time's Echo and Time's Mirror), which are POVs of Kiernan and Prudence, as there is so much insight into those characters which makes Time's Divide an even better experience.
I am experiencing major series hangover now and know that I'll be binge rereading the entire series within a few months. I know that Walker is planning at least one more Chronos Files story and with many authors venturing into her Kindle Worlds to write more Chronos Files stories, I hope to keep my addiction going for a long time!
I can't wait to see what Rysa Walker comes up with next!
October 20, 2015
I'm not often so hooked on a series that it keeps me up way late. I heard about Rysa Walker's CHRONOS files series in August and devoured the first two books back-to-back. I really didn't want to wait for book 3. Thankfully, I got a review copy from the author to get a sneak peek. I think she pulled off the ending that was intense, satisfying, and totally unpredictable. I love that this series kept me guessing and made my head spin with all the time-travel nuances. It's a Virtus story in that the good guys are trying to stop the bad guys from wiping out the majority of the inhabitants of the earth with a nasty virus developed through time traveling escapades. There was great tension between Kate and Kiernan throughout the series and it ratcheted up even more in book three. Great series and great author!
February 14, 2016
4.25 ★ Audiobook⎮ I'll say upfront that this installment was not my favorite in the trilogy, but I still overwhelmingly recommend it. At first glance, this could seem like your typical YA "teenage girl saves the world" trope, with a love triangle thrown in for good measure. But the devil is in the details, or in this case, the deliciousness is in the details, because that's what makes this series stand out among all of the other time travel tales. It's not so much about what the author does, but how she does it that makes me love this series. Take the love triangle for example, typical love triangles usually wind up with two sides of it riding off into the sunset. But not this one. Without giving too much away, I think this was the most original solution to a love triangle that I have read to date and one that I definitely did not see coming. I think that's what I like most about this series: I never saw much of anything coming. I hate predictable and formulaic plots. I've even sworn off certain authors because that's all they seem to know how to write. Rysa Walker's ability to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout this entire series has earned my lifelong loyalty as a reader (listener), especially now that I have learned she lives a mere hour or so away from me. I'll for sure be keeping an eye out for local signings! How exciting would that be?!
Maybe it was because I went on a Netflix-style binging spree with this series and listened to them back to back, but all three installments felt like one continuous book. I detracted .25 of a star because this installment lacked something I really loved in the other two, a strong historical backdrop. The whole Houdini thing didn't really entice me as much as 1893 Chicago or 1938 Georgia. Time's Divide focused more on untangling the knot that the first two installments created and spent more time in the present (or relative present) than in the past. It also saw Kate develop a sizable "heroine complex". I wish I could say that I came to really love her by the end of the series. I liked her enough to root for her, but that was it. To me, she was a likable character, but not lovable. I was, however, quite fond of several other characters. This series reminds me quite a bit of The Immortal Descendants series that I so raved about last month. With that series, I was crazy about the main character, but not so sold on the romance (which I felt it could have survived without). In this series, it's the opposite. I honestly felt that the love triangle strengthened the overall plot and further endeared me to some of the characters. And although she might not have ended up with the side of the triangle that I was hoping for, I don't feel completely robbed on that front (just read the book, you'll understand). It's very 10th Doctor Who-ish. I think my slight disappointment with this installment was mainly centered around the Cyrist/5th Column plot taking center stage. It's all too political conspiracy-esque. I think I preferred that plotline to be less influential in the overall story, more like it was in the first two installments. My head is still trying to process everything that happened in this installment. I found it harder to follow along with than the other two, which is partially to be expected since everything culminated in this finale. Somehow, I just can't feel like everything was resolved and tied up with a pretty bow. Maybe that is on purpose because there is a short novella that takes place after the events of this installment, but from another character's perspective. Or maybe my mind has just been scrambled like Prudence's from so much temporal whiplash. As far as time travel stories go, the concepts presented here were some of the most unique and intriguing that I've encountered. For the most part, I found it surprisingly easy to grasp and run with. The fast-pace complemented the exciting plot and kept my interest extremely well. As a genealogy buff, the familial element of the story was super attractive to me as well. I loved that it wasn't just Kate fighting some random crazy time traveling old guy, but that the crazy time traveling old guy was her grandfather. And also that the reader was shown generations of families through time. In one chapter, Kate may have saved the lives of someone in the 19th century and in the next chapter she has dinner with their great-grandchildren in the 21st (loose example). Something about that is just so exciting to me! Another point I really appreciated about this series was its maturity level. Sure, it has a 17-year-old protagonist, but nothing else about this series screams YA to me. There were several cheeky situations and comments (mostly from Kiernan), but nothing overtly sexual happened because, honestly, who has time to "get busy" when you're supposed to be saving the world from your crazy grandpa? Although some adult themes were hinted at (which I, as an adult, appreciated), I still think the series is appropriate for ages 16+. I also say this because there was semi-graphic violence throughout the series including an attempted sexual assault scene in Time's Edge. It was nothing too terrible from my perspective (although I did have to stop listening at night for a while during Time's Edge), but it maybe triggering
Maybe it was because I went on a Netflix-style binging spree with this series and listened to them back to back, but all three installments felt like one continuous book. I detracted .25 of a star because this installment lacked something I really loved in the other two, a strong historical backdrop. The whole Houdini thing didn't really entice me as much as 1893 Chicago or 1938 Georgia. Time's Divide focused more on untangling the knot that the first two installments created and spent more time in the present (or relative present) than in the past. It also saw Kate develop a sizable "heroine complex". I wish I could say that I came to really love her by the end of the series. I liked her enough to root for her, but that was it. To me, she was a likable character, but not lovable. I was, however, quite fond of several other characters. This series reminds me quite a bit of The Immortal Descendants series that I so raved about last month. With that series, I was crazy about the main character, but not so sold on the romance (which I felt it could have survived without). In this series, it's the opposite. I honestly felt that the love triangle strengthened the overall plot and further endeared me to some of the characters. And although she might not have ended up with the side of the triangle that I was hoping for, I don't feel completely robbed on that front (just read the book, you'll understand). It's very 10th Doctor Who-ish. I think my slight disappointment with this installment was mainly centered around the Cyrist/5th Column plot taking center stage. It's all too political conspiracy-esque. I think I preferred that plotline to be less influential in the overall story, more like it was in the first two installments. My head is still trying to process everything that happened in this installment. I found it harder to follow along with than the other two, which is partially to be expected since everything culminated in this finale. Somehow, I just can't feel like everything was resolved and tied up with a pretty bow. Maybe that is on purpose because there is a short novella that takes place after the events of this installment, but from another character's perspective. Or maybe my mind has just been scrambled like Prudence's from so much temporal whiplash. As far as time travel stories go, the concepts presented here were some of the most unique and intriguing that I've encountered. For the most part, I found it surprisingly easy to grasp and run with. The fast-pace complemented the exciting plot and kept my interest extremely well. As a genealogy buff, the familial element of the story was super attractive to me as well. I loved that it wasn't just Kate fighting some random crazy time traveling old guy, but that the crazy time traveling old guy was her grandfather. And also that the reader was shown generations of families through time. In one chapter, Kate may have saved the lives of someone in the 19th century and in the next chapter she has dinner with their great-grandchildren in the 21st (loose example). Something about that is just so exciting to me! Another point I really appreciated about this series was its maturity level. Sure, it has a 17-year-old protagonist, but nothing else about this series screams YA to me. There were several cheeky situations and comments (mostly from Kiernan), but nothing overtly sexual happened because, honestly, who has time to "get busy" when you're supposed to be saving the world from your crazy grandpa? Although some adult themes were hinted at (which I, as an adult, appreciated), I still think the series is appropriate for ages 16+. I also say this because there was semi-graphic violence throughout the series including an attempted sexual assault scene in Time's Edge. It was nothing too terrible from my perspective (although I did have to stop listening at night for a while during Time's Edge), but it maybe triggering
March 14, 2016
sooooooo, this book. i must admit, i nearly lost interest at 20% - not quite sure why that happened, either because the plot was chaotic or because too much time has passed since i've read the previous books
anyway, i can't say i'm completely satisfied. i really love time travelling stories but they have this problem of non-linear plot which is sometimes so hard to follow. these particular series has hundreds of time jumps performed by more than 10 characters. timeline was changed many times and i'm still kind of not sure what changed and why. like, some characters disappeared because they were not supposed to exist in the final timeline and some stayed unchanged
as for romantic plot, the triangle ruined stuff for me in the second book and it didn't get better in the third. everybody ended up happy, though but not the way i'd consider satisfying for me
anyway, i can't say i'm completely satisfied. i really love time travelling stories but they have this problem of non-linear plot which is sometimes so hard to follow. these particular series has hundreds of time jumps performed by more than 10 characters. timeline was changed many times and i'm still kind of not sure what changed and why. like, some characters disappeared because they were not supposed to exist in the final timeline and some stayed unchanged
as for romantic plot, the triangle ruined stuff for me in the second book and it didn't get better in the third. everybody ended up happy, though but not the way i'd consider satisfying for me
July 14, 2016
So I read through this series of books pretty quickly, because time travel excites me! The first book was great, laying a solid foundation for the series. In the second book I felt like I was getting to know the characters a little better, even though I really didn't see the point in some of them. I expected the third book to kind of tie everything together and give me like a satisfying ending. But it didn't.
Time's Divide was a mess. It went back on all the laws and rules of time travel it had set earlier. It destroyed characters that I had come to care about. And it made the protagonist kind of annoying. Plus, the whole conclusion was lackluster.
I'm extremely disappointed.
Time's Divide was a mess. It went back on all the laws and rules of time travel it had set earlier. It destroyed characters that I had come to care about. And it made the protagonist kind of annoying. Plus, the whole conclusion was lackluster.
I'm extremely disappointed.
November 24, 2015
To use the author's words, this third book was only slight better than "a tangled mass of wet spaghetti". Way too many time jumps - a lot that didn't mean much. Many characters that didn't make sense and shouldn't have been there. The ending is quite unsatisfying, resolves very little and the romance was a fizzle. Major disappointment since the first book was good.
April 16, 2018
Kate is still trying to track down all the Chronos keys in order to prevent the Cyrist culling. This time she has to travel forward to the future with Simon and Pru fast on her heels. At least now she has help in multiple forms. In addition to Kiernan, Trey, Connor and Kate's family, there is also the 5th Column (a parallel organization to the Cyrists). The story takes a bunch of crazy twists and turns. Seriously, my head is still hurting from all the timey-whimey stuff. The end is satisfying though, and worth the wait.
I liked this series. I liked Kate, Kiernan and Trey and the strange relationship between them. It wasn't exactly a love triangle, but I can't say much more about that without ruining the story. The series also makes you question the role of religion in society, and even a bit about the ethics of scientific advancements. I suppose I am also supposed to be questioning whether having the ability to time travel at all is a good idea given the risk of harm. I have a feeling that if I don't distract myself by reading a new book immediately, my head might explode from thinking about this series too much.
I liked this series. I liked Kate, Kiernan and Trey and the strange relationship between them. It wasn't exactly a love triangle, but I can't say much more about that without ruining the story. The series also makes you question the role of religion in society, and even a bit about the ethics of scientific advancements. I suppose I am also supposed to be questioning whether having the ability to time travel at all is a good idea given the risk of harm. I have a feeling that if I don't distract myself by reading a new book immediately, my head might explode from thinking about this series too much.
December 29, 2015
I just finished an ARC from Netgally and... I feel like I felt when Lost concluded. I don't care if you loved Lost or hated Lost - that ending had to make even the most ardent hater do a little "aww..." I happened to have loved Lost so I did a little more than go "aww." I flat out bawled and mourned my friends Jack, Kate, and Hurley for, like, weeks.
I also loved this series. Time Travel, religion used to manipulate the masses, the threat of mass extinction, and a really great set of characters (I just realized there's a Kate in both Lost and The CHRONOS files) held my attention through all three books.
In previous reviews I've praised Ms. Walker for keeping time travel straightforward and easy to follow. In Time's Divide that all goes to hell, and quite frankly I'm impressed that a) she held so many intricate plots together for 2.5 books, and b) that even when I was starting to go cross-eyed at the complexities, I was still 100% engrossed in the story.
Spoiler-ish deets below:
Things I didn't exactly love:
Sliiiiightly disappointed that so much of the most confusing aspects of time travel (and there were MANY) were settled with the characters concluding that they couldn't waste time figuring everything out or Kate just flat out narrating that her head hurt and she was going cross-eyed.
There were some random history tangents that I didn't think were 100% necessary (though I do love a good tangent into under appreciated historical figures) - Houdini, which was never a favorite aspect of the second book, was not much of an improvement in the third. I get the need for his role in the plot but I don't get why it had to be Houdini. Similarly the Victoria Woodhull tangent - informative and educational, but a LOT of detail in an already jam-packed novel that, overall, didn't really do much for any of the Kate's, Pru's, or me.
Lack of clear resolution for G-Ma Kathryn. We spent almost the entire second book hunting down Saul-stuff to help reverse her brain tumor and she basically just turned in for the night at the end.
That ending for Saul. I mean.... this guy was pure evil and his way out was somewhat lack luster given the fuckery that guy did to so many. And really, for a guy who couldn't travel through time he sure did manage to ruin a whole lotta lives. Which leads me to...
Simon. Oh Simon. I know he was a rat bastard, I know he was a product of his environment, and June did a fair amount of explaining why he was so bad. But it hurts to know that Pru and Tate's love gave birth to such an evil person. And he truly was evil because if Saul masterminded everything, it was Simon who was required to carry it all out.
Things I loved and/or was impressed by:
Okay this is YA and it's Time Travel. I'm down to be more than a little forgiving when the plot split into 5 alternate paths. Because despite the complexity of time travel and Kate, and Other-Kate, and Kathrine, and Young-Pru, Old-Pru, Crazy-Pru, Tate's-Pru and Aunt-Pru and Sister Pru, I was miraculously able to keep up 100% of the time.
Religion used to manipulate people - this whole theme really, REALLY resonated with me. Since the first book I've been hooked on bad people's use of religion and faith to manipulate, take advantage of, and ruin good people. Time's Divide does not skimp on wrapping this theme up in a strong, and pretty freakin' bold, fashion. Given current politics and the Kim Davis's of Kentucky, I don't think the description of Cyrists is really that hard to grasp. As Kate said toward the end of Time's Divide, there's a lot of fact to be found in fiction.
Love triangle shut-down fairly early in this book was supremely satisfying. Kate didn't hem and haw between Tray or Keir. And those off-moments that she did second-guess herself felt really genuine. I remember being 18 and having two boys like me. Even though I knew I wanted one boy more than the other, I still wanted attention from them both. And in the end, everything worked out in a really great way.
Which leads me to - Kate. I loved her. She is possibly one of my favorite YA heroines. I said it in my review of the first book and I'll say it again - Kate was issued this challenge and she stepped up to the plate. Every. freakin'. time. By the end she realizes how hard it must have been for her parents to watch her put herself in danger again and again because it's easier to go yourself than send those you love. But while she did embrace the danger and challenges of time travel really well (some say, far too well), she did it with a level head. I thought she was super mature for her age and often found myself forgetting she was still in high school.
I am so, so sad that this series has ended. I know there's fan-fic out there and Ms. Walker said she wasn't done with this world, which is good. But I don't know if there will ever be another Kate. I feel pretty empty right now and can see myself going back to re-read this series again in a year. I wolfed down the final installation in a day and a half (yes I was up til 5am reading but I napped til 1pm and it was Sunday don't judge me!) so I'll probably re-read it just to savor it a bit more, because this series really deserves to be savored.
So many details and such complexity. So much history and, yes, even a little education. And such great characters. Thank you, Ms. Walker, for another fantastic novel!
I also loved this series. Time Travel, religion used to manipulate the masses, the threat of mass extinction, and a really great set of characters (I just realized there's a Kate in both Lost and The CHRONOS files) held my attention through all three books.
In previous reviews I've praised Ms. Walker for keeping time travel straightforward and easy to follow. In Time's Divide that all goes to hell, and quite frankly I'm impressed that a) she held so many intricate plots together for 2.5 books, and b) that even when I was starting to go cross-eyed at the complexities, I was still 100% engrossed in the story.
Spoiler-ish deets below:
Things I didn't exactly love:
Sliiiiightly disappointed that so much of the most confusing aspects of time travel (and there were MANY) were settled with the characters concluding that they couldn't waste time figuring everything out or Kate just flat out narrating that her head hurt and she was going cross-eyed.
There were some random history tangents that I didn't think were 100% necessary (though I do love a good tangent into under appreciated historical figures) - Houdini, which was never a favorite aspect of the second book, was not much of an improvement in the third. I get the need for his role in the plot but I don't get why it had to be Houdini. Similarly the Victoria Woodhull tangent - informative and educational, but a LOT of detail in an already jam-packed novel that, overall, didn't really do much for any of the Kate's, Pru's, or me.
Lack of clear resolution for G-Ma Kathryn. We spent almost the entire second book hunting down Saul-stuff to help reverse her brain tumor and she basically just turned in for the night at the end.
That ending for Saul. I mean.... this guy was pure evil and his way out was somewhat lack luster given the fuckery that guy did to so many. And really, for a guy who couldn't travel through time he sure did manage to ruin a whole lotta lives. Which leads me to...
Simon. Oh Simon. I know he was a rat bastard, I know he was a product of his environment, and June did a fair amount of explaining why he was so bad. But it hurts to know that Pru and Tate's love gave birth to such an evil person. And he truly was evil because if Saul masterminded everything, it was Simon who was required to carry it all out.
Things I loved and/or was impressed by:
Okay this is YA and it's Time Travel. I'm down to be more than a little forgiving when the plot split into 5 alternate paths. Because despite the complexity of time travel and Kate, and Other-Kate, and Kathrine, and Young-Pru, Old-Pru, Crazy-Pru, Tate's-Pru and Aunt-Pru and Sister Pru, I was miraculously able to keep up 100% of the time.
Religion used to manipulate people - this whole theme really, REALLY resonated with me. Since the first book I've been hooked on bad people's use of religion and faith to manipulate, take advantage of, and ruin good people. Time's Divide does not skimp on wrapping this theme up in a strong, and pretty freakin' bold, fashion. Given current politics and the Kim Davis's of Kentucky, I don't think the description of Cyrists is really that hard to grasp. As Kate said toward the end of Time's Divide, there's a lot of fact to be found in fiction.
Love triangle shut-down fairly early in this book was supremely satisfying. Kate didn't hem and haw between Tray or Keir. And those off-moments that she did second-guess herself felt really genuine. I remember being 18 and having two boys like me. Even though I knew I wanted one boy more than the other, I still wanted attention from them both. And in the end, everything worked out in a really great way.
Which leads me to - Kate. I loved her. She is possibly one of my favorite YA heroines. I said it in my review of the first book and I'll say it again - Kate was issued this challenge and she stepped up to the plate. Every. freakin'. time. By the end she realizes how hard it must have been for her parents to watch her put herself in danger again and again because it's easier to go yourself than send those you love. But while she did embrace the danger and challenges of time travel really well (some say, far too well), she did it with a level head. I thought she was super mature for her age and often found myself forgetting she was still in high school.
I am so, so sad that this series has ended. I know there's fan-fic out there and Ms. Walker said she wasn't done with this world, which is good. But I don't know if there will ever be another Kate. I feel pretty empty right now and can see myself going back to re-read this series again in a year. I wolfed down the final installation in a day and a half (yes I was up til 5am reading but I napped til 1pm and it was Sunday don't judge me!) so I'll probably re-read it just to savor it a bit more, because this series really deserves to be savored.
So many details and such complexity. So much history and, yes, even a little education. And such great characters. Thank you, Ms. Walker, for another fantastic novel!
September 25, 2015
What a terrific end to Kate’s fantastic adventure through time. I give this book five out of five star for its breakneck pace, jumping me back to interesting moments in American history and forward to a fascinating future. My mind bent with ideas of alternate timelines, and things capable of remaining constant when a change rocks the course of events in the past. Really this book earns every star just for tying up what felt like a million loose ends.
What I liked:
1) The stakes are high in this final book and it’s a nail biter. The lives of most of the world’s population are on the line as Cyrist’s seek world domination via a bio terrorist event. This event jeopardizes Kate’s life, and the lives of everyone she cares for. The danger only increases as people are murdered, lost in parallel timelines, and kidnapped. Will Kate gain true love in the end? Which Kate is she, Kiernan’s or Trey’s? I was happy to see the final book answers these question, as well as the biggest question of all, will Kate get her original life back?
2) The historical events covered in the book, each was picked well and added nicely to the underlying social ideas explored. One of my favorite moments in the book was young Pru’s rant to Kate about Victoria Woodhull, and why she was never taught about her in grade school. I enjoyed the mission to discover if Houdini possessed a Chronos key. Kate’s parallel moments of gender disparity from the Cyrist future, and the Beecher-Tilton trial past were well done.
3) The character’s, each demonstrated motives of their own, which I considered well developed, and unique. The suspense was terrific, with break neck action from line one. Those trusted in previous books are now suspect, and some considered adversaries become unexpected allies.
I recommend the other book in Kate’s series be read before reading this book. While I do think its possible to enjoy this book as a stand alone, some of the interesting details connecting the stories in this series will be lost. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked:
1) The stakes are high in this final book and it’s a nail biter. The lives of most of the world’s population are on the line as Cyrist’s seek world domination via a bio terrorist event. This event jeopardizes Kate’s life, and the lives of everyone she cares for. The danger only increases as people are murdered, lost in parallel timelines, and kidnapped. Will Kate gain true love in the end? Which Kate is she, Kiernan’s or Trey’s? I was happy to see the final book answers these question, as well as the biggest question of all, will Kate get her original life back?
2) The historical events covered in the book, each was picked well and added nicely to the underlying social ideas explored. One of my favorite moments in the book was young Pru’s rant to Kate about Victoria Woodhull, and why she was never taught about her in grade school. I enjoyed the mission to discover if Houdini possessed a Chronos key. Kate’s parallel moments of gender disparity from the Cyrist future, and the Beecher-Tilton trial past were well done.
3) The character’s, each demonstrated motives of their own, which I considered well developed, and unique. The suspense was terrific, with break neck action from line one. Those trusted in previous books are now suspect, and some considered adversaries become unexpected allies.
I recommend the other book in Kate’s series be read before reading this book. While I do think its possible to enjoy this book as a stand alone, some of the interesting details connecting the stories in this series will be lost. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2016
I'm kind of sick of young Kate and her selfishness. This series started strong but ended up getting annoying and could have been shorter for sure. It's a pity because there was a lot of potential but it just didn't meet my expectation. The audio narrator did an excellent job though.
May 14, 2021
Un finale in crescendo! Che bello quando si arriva alla fine di un libro piangendo. Mi mancherai, Rysa!
September 26, 2016
Go back in time and stop yourself from buying!
Like other reviewers I preordered this book on the strength of the previous two books in the series. The first book was excellent; the second book was quite good but this last one is all over the place ( and time....) I got confused by characters, copious time jumps and complete disbelief at the way the story was playing out. Thor/Tate was about the final straw....I still am unsure who he is. The ending was anti-climactic, confusing and far too sweet and convenient. Spoiler alert.....two Kates! Uh no! Shouldn't have happened would have loved her to have to make a difficult choice. Anyway I gave it two stars cos I was able to read it to the end even though now I have lost several hours of my life I will not be able to "jump" back and reclaim......
I think the book would have been better if the jumps were less and the list of characters were culled to a more managable level....and the jumps were fewer so I could keep track of what was happening. Am afraid if you are a fan you will be disappointed by this confusing third installment.
Like other reviewers I preordered this book on the strength of the previous two books in the series. The first book was excellent; the second book was quite good but this last one is all over the place ( and time....) I got confused by characters, copious time jumps and complete disbelief at the way the story was playing out. Thor/Tate was about the final straw....I still am unsure who he is. The ending was anti-climactic, confusing and far too sweet and convenient. Spoiler alert.....two Kates! Uh no! Shouldn't have happened would have loved her to have to make a difficult choice. Anyway I gave it two stars cos I was able to read it to the end even though now I have lost several hours of my life I will not be able to "jump" back and reclaim......
I think the book would have been better if the jumps were less and the list of characters were culled to a more managable level....and the jumps were fewer so I could keep track of what was happening. Am afraid if you are a fan you will be disappointed by this confusing third installment.
March 27, 2017
I am numb. This was one of those books. The ones that make me numb from all the FEELINGS.
I might write a more in-depth review later, but right now all I can do is sit here and be emotional.
I might write a more in-depth review later, but right now all I can do is sit here and be emotional.
November 13, 2015
I finished this book at 3:30 a.m. and proceeded to lie awake for almost an hour thinking about time travel. Also, about how I had grown attached to the characters much more than I thought previously. While this final book in the Chronos Files trilogy is certainly YA, and that may not be for everyone, Walker has done an excellent job of cultivating a fictional world that feels real. She also has written a lead female character for a YA trilogy that I didn't end up hating by the end of the third book, which is a massive achievement in my mind. I truly wish the job of time-traveling historian existed, because that just sounds like an ideal career. But still, it was a very fun and exciting read and my heart broke just a little when it was over--but isn't that how it is with all good books?
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July 18, 2018Çok değişik bitti. İstemediğim şekilde. Ve her zamanki gibi kafa karıştırıcıydı. Çoğu yeri takip edemedim. Muhtemelen bir milyon mantık hatası yaptı yazar fakat anlamanız veya anlamlandırmanız mümkün değil.🤣 Seriyi her şeye rağmen seviyorum fakat... sonundan mutlu değilim. Bence hikaye böyle devam etmemeliydi. Bir parça burukluk ve bir parça acaba bıraktı geriye.😞
May 23, 2017
Final installment of the Chronos Files trilogy and it certainly ends with a bang (even though 100 pages less would have been a louder bang). I liked it, but I don't claim to be able to follow some of the time travel conundrums. The use of religion to control the population and exercise power comes out the most for me in this book and I think it adds a layer of complexity and depth. I like Walker's writing style and the snappy dialogues.
March 20, 2021
Wow! That is all i can say. This book series captured my heart from the moment i started reading it. It's so well-thought. The characters just seem so alive and the story line is just so realistic, even with the time travelling detail.
Do i recommend it? Yes, 10/10! It's amazing, there's nothing to dislike about it.
Do i recommend it? Yes, 10/10! It's amazing, there's nothing to dislike about it.
July 22, 2024
OMG this book slaps. So much is going on and I love it. The complication that happen are a little bit expected but still executed well. Kinda sad at the ending with Connor :(. Wish we could have known what happens after all of it.
September 9, 2017
Great ending to the Chronos Files series!!! It was very well written, funny and clever, and there was almost nothing predictable about it, which I appreciate. The epilogue was a little confusing, and it seemed to drag at points in the story, but those points were very few. Excellent book!
January 20, 2023
I loved this series
October 23, 2015
I really enjoyed this. I loved the first two books and was eagerly awaiting the conclusion to find out how it all would end. At times I was a bit confused, as even the characters themselves tended to get confused, with all the time travel logistics so I tended to shrug off my misunderstandings like Kate did and not think too much into it, but besides that this was quick paced and full of adventure and I devoured it in 3 days.
I loved Kate, have from the beginning. She was strong and confident even when she had no idea what she was doing or if things were going to turn out right. Unlike a lot of other female leads she never really had any pity parties or tried to push any one away because she thought something was her fault or would hurt someone she loves or because she got stuck having to save the world. Personally I find it annoying when the lead tries to push away everyone they love because they are worried they will get hurt and then they just go back to them anyways, too much angst over nothing if you ask me. If they are truly a good friend, lover, family, etc. they will stick it out regardless of the danger or hurt that could occur. Just my point of view, but one of the main reasons I liked Kate - she kept her family and friends close and rarely pushed them away and they proved to be strong allies in her fight against Satan Saul and the Cyrists.
*****************SPOILERS!!!******************
Without giving too much away, I have to say my only qualm with the third book (and this may be only because I read the first two a while ago) is Kate's relationship with Trey and Kiernan. I was team Kiernan from the beginning as well. Don't get me wrong I liked Trey in the first timeline and enjoyed the development of their relationship and he did play an important role in helping Kate out in the beginning, but Kiernan's role just seemed more important to me and more developed. Although I could see where the author was going once Trey said he was all in and loved Kate (you can't break his heart after that), Kate just had so much more of a history with Kiernan and they were so much more invested in the fight together I almost felt like this Trey was a secondary character just thrown in so Kate would have someone after Kiernan discovered Other-Kate was still alive. Although, I guess Other-Kate could have been thrown in too so that Kiernan wasn't alone when Kate chose Trey over him. To be honest, the whole Other-Kate situation just felt like a cop out to me and after everything Kiernan went through with Kate (and with Other-Kate, I mean they are the same person, just different timelines), I just really felt it would have done the book more justice to have Kiernan and Kate wind up together, without Other-Kate (still don't really understand how that worked out). I also felt like Trey from this timeline wasn't well developed so I just didn't feel a strong connection between him and Kate. Again, that could have been because I read the first two books so long ago, I suppose if old Trey was fresh in my mind that I could have felt differently because Kiernan was much more frequently in this book maybe he was just at the front of my thoughts. Or maybe I just really liked (loved) Kiernan! Who knows. And the love triangle wasn't even the focus of the book, its just something that irked me after finishing the book.
Aside from that, I guess I also felt a bit cheated with Saul's death. I mean I always expected some kind of showdown between him and Kate. Aside from Gods Hollow we never really actually see Saul or are in the same place and time so he's mostly just talked and speculated about, I just thought it would all come full circle somehow and he'd be brought to justice by Kate, Katherine, or Pru. I mean Pru makes him disappear, but it was all a bit anticlimactic. I wish there was more to it that's all.
Regardless of my feelings on those two fronts, I loved the story from first book to third. It was interesting and fast paced and I never felt like I was skimming through to get ahead to the action. I like a book that moves along at a decent pace so I'm not sitting around getting bored over too much unnecessary detail. I loved the characters, especially Kate and Kiernan, and felt like I was along for the ride with every jump they made, so this gets a solid 4 stars from me.
I loved Kate, have from the beginning. She was strong and confident even when she had no idea what she was doing or if things were going to turn out right. Unlike a lot of other female leads she never really had any pity parties or tried to push any one away because she thought something was her fault or would hurt someone she loves or because she got stuck having to save the world. Personally I find it annoying when the lead tries to push away everyone they love because they are worried they will get hurt and then they just go back to them anyways, too much angst over nothing if you ask me. If they are truly a good friend, lover, family, etc. they will stick it out regardless of the danger or hurt that could occur. Just my point of view, but one of the main reasons I liked Kate - she kept her family and friends close and rarely pushed them away and they proved to be strong allies in her fight against Satan Saul and the Cyrists.
*****************SPOILERS!!!******************
Without giving too much away, I have to say my only qualm with the third book (and this may be only because I read the first two a while ago) is Kate's relationship with Trey and Kiernan. I was team Kiernan from the beginning as well. Don't get me wrong I liked Trey in the first timeline and enjoyed the development of their relationship and he did play an important role in helping Kate out in the beginning, but Kiernan's role just seemed more important to me and more developed. Although I could see where the author was going once Trey said he was all in and loved Kate (you can't break his heart after that), Kate just had so much more of a history with Kiernan and they were so much more invested in the fight together I almost felt like this Trey was a secondary character just thrown in so Kate would have someone after Kiernan discovered Other-Kate was still alive. Although, I guess Other-Kate could have been thrown in too so that Kiernan wasn't alone when Kate chose Trey over him. To be honest, the whole Other-Kate situation just felt like a cop out to me and after everything Kiernan went through with Kate (and with Other-Kate, I mean they are the same person, just different timelines), I just really felt it would have done the book more justice to have Kiernan and Kate wind up together, without Other-Kate (still don't really understand how that worked out). I also felt like Trey from this timeline wasn't well developed so I just didn't feel a strong connection between him and Kate. Again, that could have been because I read the first two books so long ago, I suppose if old Trey was fresh in my mind that I could have felt differently because Kiernan was much more frequently in this book maybe he was just at the front of my thoughts. Or maybe I just really liked (loved) Kiernan! Who knows. And the love triangle wasn't even the focus of the book, its just something that irked me after finishing the book.
Aside from that, I guess I also felt a bit cheated with Saul's death. I mean I always expected some kind of showdown between him and Kate. Aside from Gods Hollow we never really actually see Saul or are in the same place and time so he's mostly just talked and speculated about, I just thought it would all come full circle somehow and he'd be brought to justice by Kate, Katherine, or Pru. I mean Pru makes him disappear, but it was all a bit anticlimactic. I wish there was more to it that's all.
Regardless of my feelings on those two fronts, I loved the story from first book to third. It was interesting and fast paced and I never felt like I was skimming through to get ahead to the action. I like a book that moves along at a decent pace so I'm not sitting around getting bored over too much unnecessary detail. I loved the characters, especially Kate and Kiernan, and felt like I was along for the ride with every jump they made, so this gets a solid 4 stars from me.
November 12, 2015
Featured in a "Series Salute" on Intellectual Recreation.
I love a good time travel novel, and Rysa Walker's Chronos Files are vying for a spot on the top of my metaphorical "favorite time travel series ever" list. I feel like this series is a bit of a hidden gem. I want more people to read it, so they can love it too!
With my great affection for Time's Edge, the second in the series, I put Time's Divide at the top of my must-read immediately list. In Time's Divide Kate and the gang race to stop Saul from unleashing "The Culling." Once again Kate is surrounded by allies that's she's not certain she can trust. The clock is ticking and the stakes are only going to get higher. Time's Divide is extra fun (and creepy) because Kate travels to the future for the first time as well as to the past.
Rysa Walker exploits time travel to its full potential in this series. I love how time travel makes my head spin, and Rysa Walker does not mess around. There's a lot of movement back and forth, the morality of letting bad things happen is fully explored, and some serious mistakes have to be undone. I loved it all.
I also really enjoy how rooted in American history The Chronos Files are. In every book Kate travels to the American past. She goes to the World's Columbian Exposition, the Deep South in the 1930s; she meets with Houdini and suffragette Victoria Woodhull. Rysa Walker does an excellent job with the history and the historical figures. It also doesn't hurt that all the modern moments take place in Maryland, my current state of residence.
The intensity in these book is palpable. I had a hard time ripping myself away. It's a sophisticated story, and I am impressed with how well Rysa Walker handles the chronology. I was hoping that book three would be as fabulous as book 2, and I was not disappointed. I feel all in a tangle about the way things ended with Kiernan. It was so right but also bittersweet. And Connor. So sad.
Also, I highly recommend the audio version. Kate Rudd is an excellent narrator. She does Kate so well and adeptly conveys Kate's strength and smarts. This series definitely deserves more love!
October 22, 2015
What an end to an amazing series! This is time travel craziness and I loved it! Part of what I love about this series is the character development. Kate, Trey, Prudence, and Kiernan are so fleshed-out and realistic that you almost believe they are real. They are flawed, sometimes difficult or annoying, and sometimes incredibly noble and brave, especially Prudence. I also love that Walker truly grasps the ideas and paradoxes of time travel. In fact, that might seem a detriment to the series for some, as it can get really super confusing. I'm excellent at understanding time travel: I love to read about it, watch shows about it, think about the ins and outs of it conceptually, and posit questions that make my husband and I sit and reason out whether it's temporally possible or not. Yes, we're geeks. But there are times these books are even challenging for me, especially when Kate is making plans that require multiple hops in a row. One thing that irritated me about this book was the overly complex plans and schematics to obtain the keys and, later, the vials. It just seemed like there was too much detail given. Like when you read the rules of a board game and, halfway through, you start thinking "wouldn't it be easier if we just start playing and access the rules if we have questions?" That's how these books are--there's too much plan and not enough action sometimes. If I put myself in the mindset of a teenager, it makes a bit more sense to explain it with some detail, but I still think there's some overkill (teens have less world experience--they aren't stupid). And the jetpack thing was just unnecessary.
All in all, this is one of the best sci fi/time travel series I've ever read. These three books, plus the two short stories that flesh out the tales of Kiernan and Prudence, are a wonderful diversion and a fantastic read for Whovians and other time travel nerds.
All in all, this is one of the best sci fi/time travel series I've ever read. These three books, plus the two short stories that flesh out the tales of Kiernan and Prudence, are a wonderful diversion and a fantastic read for Whovians and other time travel nerds.
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